I just don't log dives,why not?????

[Stealth Mode]

I see this status more than I would anticipate.The main reason I log dives is because I have 7 wetsuits hanging on my wall and I dive both fresh and salt water.Just trying to remember how much weight to dive with what suit can be challenging.My question is why or why not log dives????

 

[Insta-Gator]

I suspect that status is chosen as a means to avoid credibility challenges during lively discussions.

There was a season I did not log my dives, maybe 10 or 15. We weren't diving regularly and I perceived my diving to be a vacation event that occurred every couple of years, so *MEH* why bother. Now we have computers that will download the data. Logging is much easier and I find myself evaluating my dives/SAC/etc. with the available charts a lot more.

 

[tomfcrist]

I dont Log dives because my computer is downloadable....I know exactly how much weight i need in any suit configuration.....None. If I cant remember the events that occured on a particular dive, It was probably forgetable to begin with. My memory is pretty good, and my video camera has a great memory. Thats my 2 PSI.

 

[rivers]

I just can't be asked. I keep track of how many dives I've done in a month, but other than that, I don't particularly care to

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Reasons to not log dives:
laziness
too cheap to buy a log book
don't dive that much
not a professional, no need to log
no body will dive with me so I can't get a verification signature
Seriously, people, your log book is a treasure trove of data on equipment, weighting, air consumption, conditions at sites, plus a great book of memories. I hope you will log, or if you haven't, start logging your dives. It's just the smart (and fun) thing to do. But it does take a little time and effort. So man up!
DivemasterDennis

 

[tomfcrist]

Dennis, explain to me why a dive professional "needs" to log dives. Your reply is very narrow, and not at all representative of why I don't log dives.

 

[cb5150]

Dennis, explain to me why a dive professional "needs" to log dives. Your reply is very narrow, and not at all representative of why I don't log dives.

According to his post, you will be lazy, stupid, no fun, un-manly and no one will dive with you if you don't log your dives.

 

[agilis]

Keeping a dive log in some sort of official format as a requirement imposed by external entities is an unacceptable violation of individual liberty and personal integrity. What other sports require anything similar? Skiing? Running? Hockey?

I keep a personal journal, not dive connected, for my own purposes. I also keep careful records of things that are significant to me in connection with diving. These may include observations on the performance and function of equipment, unusual problems or events, water temps and currents, tides, marine life observed, any number of things that I may want to review, and only after those dives for which I want to keep a record.

This information is strictly for my use, maintained in a manner most convenient for me, not in some kind of obligatory format and schedule.. The idea of some officious jerk asking to see my "dive log", or, even more offensive, expecting to sign off on my entries, is completely beyond the pale, and part of the systematic infantilization of recreational divers that has been taking place for quite a while.

 

[drbill]

Early on (back in the 60s) I think I kept a log book (it was the 60s, I WAS there so I don't remember) but later decided it just wasn't necessary. Then in 2000 I decided I wanted to travel and dive internationally and was aware that dive ops would ask my experience level or dive count so I resumed logging. Today with thousands of dives under my weight belt, I still log them and place them on my web page so other divers can check on things like water temperature out here.

 

[iamjblevine]

Dennis, explain to me why a dive professional "needs" to log dives. Your reply is very narrow, and not at all representative of why I don't log dives.

Why a professional should log dives (IMO): I'm not a dive professional, but I am an engineer and keep a daily log for reasons that relate closely to a dive professionals again IMO.
1. Record keeping for potential litigation. Keeping clear concise records of students, dive times, conditions, would probably look a lot better to a jury than not doing so.
2. Record keeping for potential QA Violation Query. Again, when defending you name, records will hopefully help this. e.g. When Joe Diver answers the PADI questionnaire that the instruction didn't have a rope for use during the CESA drill, but you can produce a log that shows you had a rope attached to a float on site for the last 5 years, why would you not have done it that day.
3. A simple and redundant way to keep track of skills for continuing educations dive requirements. I'm not talking about OW Training. I'd assume those are done with such regularity that the skills on any given dive day are memorized, much the way people in the sciences just know Pi. But if you are doing a Deep Diver Specialty and want to keep track of skills on the dives it is a convenient way to do so and document it.
4. Best practices for young DMs and new instructors. If you are mentoring a DMC your dive log could be a great resource for them to glean best practices from. It could be a great resource for new instructors to learn rescue diver scenarios from. Fun things to do on Discover Scubas, etc...

Of course if all you do is log site, depth, weights, and air, there isn't much use in the log to the professional.